1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a separable bottom end stop for preventing a slider from running off intermeshing rows of coupling elements of a slide fastener, and more particularly to a separable bottom end stop that can be united by a slider.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
FIG. 5 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a conventional separable bottom end stop disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-37064. This known separable bottom end stop comprises a uniting element A and a uniting end element B which are located at a lowermost end of a row of coupling elements mounted on one of two stringer tapes and a slider stopping element C disposed at a lowermost end of a companion rod of coupling elements mounted on the other stringer tape. When the bottom end stop is to be passed through a slider (not shown) to install the slider on the coupling elements, the slider stopping element C is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the row of coupling elements. After the slider stopping element C has passed through the slider between its diamond and an outer flange, the slider stopping element C is moved back to its original position into engagement with the uniting element A and the uniting end element B to complete the bottom end stop.
Another known separable bottom end stop which is disclosed in West German Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2341351 is illustrated in FIG. 6 of the accompanying drawings. The separable bottom end stop comprises a pair of end stop members including respective elastically deformable fins D on their outer sides. When the bottom end stop is moved through a slider (not shown) to mount the slider on a pair of rows of coupling elements, the fins D are elastically deformed inwardly, i.e., toward each other. After the bottom end stop has passed through the slider, the fins C are displaced back to their outer positions, i.e., away from each other thereby to stop downward movement of the slider past the bottom end stop.
With the former known bottom end stop, however, the elements A, B, C thereof cannot easily be positioned relatively to each other. Since the slider stopping element C has to be inclined for the passage through the slider, it is difficult to insert the bottom end stop automatically through the slider. Moreover, the elements of the bottom end stop cannot be extrusion-molded simultaneously with the coupling elements. According to the latter known bottom end stop, the bottom end stop members can be extrusion-molded at the same time that the coupling elements are molded. Since, however, the fins project outwardly, they tend to be damaged by collision with the slider. Therefore, the bottom end stop does not have a required degree of durability. The bottom end stop has a poor appearance because of the presence of the outwardly projecting fins.